Hello, Missouri, this is London

Our first foray away from London was a bus trip to Warwick Castle and Stratford-upon-Avon. Here is part of the group in front of the the Warwick keep.








And here we are, tired to the bones, on the trip home.

Posted by Clyde Bentley at 9:21 PM | Permalink | Comments

London: the city known for constant changes and reinvention. A city also known for crappy food. Don't get me wrong, I love London. The nightlife, the theaters, the museums, the architecture, the history: I eat it up! One thing I can barely get down is the food here. I've avoided the culture shock bug for awhile but it's decided to hit me in the sustinance department. One thing I love about new cultures is the food. Trying new things is one of my favorite activities. The first thing I got here was my one of my must haves: a Dr. Pepper. My mouth is salivating since all I'd had in the last 24 hours were little shot glasses of water compliments of Air India. I crack open my soda like a dehydrated man in the Sahara desert. To my dismay, it tasted like someone had left it open for a week then re-added the carbonation. I tried to get past it but as a person who drank about 4 Dr. Pepper's a day, this was a huge shock. I've been trying to keep an open mind, trying McDonalds, Subway, KFC, local chips (chip chips not chips as in french fries) but it just isn't the same. I haven't been disappointed in the sushi department though, thank god! For the past week I've been sticking with a trustworthy salad. The hardest thing for anyone to screw up! This isn't a jab to the English people, I think they just need to discover the awesome world of flavor when it comes to some of their food.

Now not all food here is entirely terrible. There have been a few exceptions. Imagine my surprise when a British friend of mine offers to buy me breakfast and returns with a sausage enveloped in a pastry. To me, this is the British attempt at a corn dog. A bad attempt at that. I graciously accepted it but threw it in my fridge and forgot about it. The other day my roommate and I were starving and it was the only thing we had that didn't require cooking. We popped it in the microwave to warm it up and divided it down the middle. That sasauge pastry was one of the best foods I've ever had in my life! Now I see them every where: at bakeries, convenient stores, grocery stores. I buy one every time. Now I don't know how I'll survive without them in the States.

One thing is for sure, this London experience has stretched my taste boundaries to the point of breaking. All in all, it's probably a good thing. I'll go home appreciating food a lot more! I'll never cast my eyes at McDonalds ever again! Oh and if anyone ever walks past a Taco Bell, alert me right away. I'm about to the point of hurting someone for a chicken fajita or taco!

Posted by Amy Becker at 2:42 PM | Permalink | Comments

The IE group of American students has experienced a lot so far since their arrival in London Saturday morning. IE staff greeted the students at Heathrow Airport and soon carted them off to the residences at 6 Knaresborough and 40 Hogarth, located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. After moving their luggage into their flats, some located up five stories with no lift, students found that they might have to make do with less than they are used to: little space, no cable, and poor wireless internet reception. On the other hand, the weather has been unusually warm and sunny this past week. The rainy, foggy weather which London is known for has yet to show its face.

Sunday saw a tour of the major sites by bus, with a few stops for picture taking. Places included Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament, and Trafalgar Square. Classes commenced the following day coupled with orientation.

Dr. Wendy Stokes gave a lecture for the BLC class on basic UK politics and culture, covering areas such as the formation of the UK and the current big issues in the news. One of the big issues has been of the resignation of Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has made known his intention to resign for a while now. Currently, the papers (including thelondonpaper which premiered just this week) are reporting that 31 May is the date that inside sources say he plans on stepping down as the head of the Labour Party, while 26 July is the date that he quits as prime minister.

Dr. Stokes also talked about the sometimes difficult formation of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland into one United Kingdom. Though the IRA has decreased its use of violence in recent years, Stokes says, based on demographics showing an increase in the Catholic population, “Northern Ireland will probably opt out of the UK within the next 100 years.” On a related note, London has been becoming an increasingly multicultural city, something which all the students here have probably been able to observe. Other issues discussed included the monarchy, the school system, and the relationship the UK has with the US and the EU.

Wednesday’s BLC field trip served to expand on the lecture by visiting the Museum of London, a museum which chronicles the entire span of London history. Significant events include the founding of Londinium by the Romans in the first century, the separation from the Catholic Church in the 16^th century, and the Great London Fire of 1666. To communicate this history, the museum displays various artifacts from each era. The trip also provided an opportunity to get a handle on public transportation.

Class members have had a few unique experiences apart from the larger group. Ashley Dennison celebrated her 22^nd birthday on Tuesday by going salsa dancing in Picadilly along with class members Bonney Bowman, Sara Coy, and Karina Brown. Bonney noted that the pubs are different from similar places in the US in that you pay for your food at the bar before you get it and you do not need to tip.

“I'm sure we'll all get used to the minor differences pretty soon, and before we know it, some of the American ways of doing things will seem quite foreign to us,” says Erin Boeck, who also started her internship this week with Help the Aged, an organization which Princess Di was involved with. “I told my boss I would take some files home with me this weekend and look at them and she said, ‘Oh, I hope you don't. Enjoying London and your time here is really what this is all about,’” says Erin, appreciating the understanding of her employer.

Looking past this week, some students are already starting weekend trips and many will be busy with internships next week. The experience has just begun.

Posted by Dan Steilen at 10:44 AM | Permalink | Comments